1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of hand cycles, and more particularly to a novel mounting means for installing and securing the brake and shift levers on the frame of a hand cycle so that the mounting is in close proximity to the hand-operated pedals or hand grips.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the past, it has been the conventional practice to mount the hand brake levers and the gear shift levers on the handle bars of a bicycle so that the levers would be available to the rider when his hands are on the handle bars for steering purposes during the riding of the bike. However, in the case of hand cycles, steering is achieved by other means than the turning of a handle bar, such as by change of balance or by employing foot and leg control to achieve steering. In such an instance, the motive power for advancing the cycle resides in hand cranks employed to actuate a gear train generally employing a chain deployed about gearing on the hand crank and the front wheel of the bike. In such an instance, it is highly advantageous to have the brake and shift levers in close proximity to the hand crank so that the user of the bike can readily remove at least one hand from the crank and use one or both hands for braking or shifting purposes. Due to the requirement that the hand crank be in close proximity to the brake and shift levers, proper mounting of the brake and shift levers to the frame of the bike presents certain problems. Some of the problems and difficulties arise from the fact that the frame does not provide a means for mounting conventional handle bars and therefore a special mount is required to place the shift and brake levers in a proper location.
Therefore, a long-standing need has existed in the manufacture and fabrication of hand cycles to provide a proper mounting for the shift and brake levers so that the levers are in a convenient location for use by the driver of the vehicle while employing hand motivation for vehicle advancement.